About the Author

Ralph James Brodd is President of Broddarp of Nevada, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in technology assessment, strategic planning and battery technology, production, and marketing. He received a B.A. degree in chemistry from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in physical chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Brodd began his career at the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C., studying electrode reactions and phenomena that occur in battery operation. He taught physical chemistry in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School and lectured in electrochemistry at Georgetown University and American University.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Dr. Brodd served in a variety of technical and management capacities with a number of battery companies. In 1961, Dr. Brodd joined the L.T.V. research Center of Ling Temco Vought, Inc., in Dallas, Texas, where he estab-lished a group in fuel cells and batteries. In 1963, he moved to the Battery Products Technology Center of Union Carbide Corporation, with technical management responsibilities for nickel-cadmium and lead acid rechargeable batteries, alkaline and carbon-zinc product lines, and exploratory R&D. He joined ESB (INCO Electroenergy, Inc.) in 1978, establishing a technology surveillance group, and moving to the position of Director of Technology with oversight and policy responsibility for R&D laboratories serving product areas ranging from primary and secondary batteries to uninterruptible power supplies and small electric motors. He was a member of the INCO Long Range Technology Committee and the technical advisory panel for North America Capital Venture Fund.

In 1982, Dr. Brodd established Broddarp, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in battery technology, strategic planning, and technology planning. A consultancy with Amoco led to his moving to Amoco Research Center as project manager of a rechargeable lithium sulfur dioxide battery project. He subsequently moved to Gould, Inc., to establish their Lithium Powerdex Battery Venture and then to Valence Technology, a venture group developing a solid polymer electrolyte battery system for rechargeable batteries for portable consumer devices. He served as staff consultant/marketing director and then Vice President, Marketing.

Dr. Brodd was elected President of The Electrochemical Society in 1981 and Honorary Member in 1987. He was elect-ed National Secretary of the International Society of Electrochemistry, 1977-1982, and Vice President, 1981-1983. He is past chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Battery Materials Association. Dr. Brodd was President of the Pi chapter of Phi Lambda Upsilon.

Dr. Brodd has served on numerous technical advisory and review committees for the National Research Council, International Electrotechnic Commission, DOE, NASA, and NIH government laboratories and technical programs, most recently as a member of the 1999 and 2004 Review Committee for the Environmental Energy Technologies Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Dr. Brodd has over 100 publications and patents.

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Date created: July 21, 2005
Last updated: August 4, 2005

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